Many people are curious about what will happen to the influx of retired electric vehicle batteries as the number of electric vehicles on the road continues to rise.
Local business Smartville Inc. debuted its solution this week to give those batteries a “second life.”
Excess solar energy from the solar panels on the roof is packaged and placed on the side of a commercial building in Miramar, where it is stored in the batteries until it is required.
Because the batteries can be used overnight when no solar energy is being collected or if there is a brownout or blackout, the building needs the power grid less.
Also read: San Diego-based Business Giving Old Electric Vehicle Batteries A “Second Life”
“This has always been the objective,” said Evan Bierman, Smartville Inc.’s chief operating officer “to be able to more effectively utilise used batteries, lower pollutants, and bring a greener future to San Diego along with domestic American manufacturing.
Smartville Inc. Reused Vehicle Batteries
Nissan and Tesla electric vehicle batteries are being reused in Smartville as the number of registered EVs rises.
California has more electric vehicles registered than any other state, and if the batteries are no longer operating at their best due to regular wear and use, they need to be changed.
However, before they need to be recycled, those batteries can still perform well (between 50 and 75 percent of their peak utilisation).
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“That battery still has a lot of life in it,” Bierman threw in. “As a result, we use that battery to provide a service rather than recycling it or discarding it. To help cut emissions and stabilise the grid, we are collecting extra green solar energy and putting it on the grid”.
“Electric vehicles account for 17% of new car sales in California, and that percentage is rising, “said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild.
“In California, we manufacture more than 2,000 electric vehicles every day, and we put almost a thousand of them on the road every day. Therefore, this is completing a really significant kind of gap in the mosaic.
The project received money from the California Energy Commission, and Cleantech San Diego, a nearby non-profit, also made connections for the startup with other sources of finance and resources.
When One Retired Battery Adds to Another, Significant Supply Flow Notices
“To give you an indication, by 2030, the nation will have a battery supply equivalent to 100 gigawatt hours per year. These can be set up well to offer long-term value, like stabilising the grid and giving businesses the energy storage they need.
After a successful debut, Smartville intends to fully commercialise the method across the state and eventually the country during the upcoming year.
“EV adoption eventually moves outside California,” said Tong. “We’re going to set up posts for reusing those batteries and offering energy storage in exchange on the east coast and in the Pacific Northwest.”
The procedure offers a more intelligent choice for the batteries both after their peak and before recycling. It aids in reducing grid stress and can be expanded upon for other nearby commercial structures.
